Garment and method of making the same



June 29, 1948. A; G. NEEL 2,444,404

GARMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed March 13, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1V6 INVENTOR ALBERT GEORGE NEEL By M A. cs. NEEL GARMENT AND METHOD. OFMAKING SAME June 29, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1946 R m m m ALBERT GEORGE NEEL BY A vATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1948 um'rso STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT OFMAKING Albert George Neel, Nazareth, Pa., assignor to Nazareth Mills;Incorporated, Nazareth, Pat, a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationMarch 1 3, 1946'; Serial No. 654,020

11 Claims;

My invention is a garment, and a method of making a garment, havingshoulders compris in'g layers of fabric forming straps and flaps havingfree inner edges permitting the expansion of the neck opening betweenthe shoulders for the passage of the head of a wearer and the automaticconstriction of such neck opening by pulling the body ofthe garment inplace to bring the sides of the neck opening into desired relationshipto the sides of the neck of the wearer;

Leading objects of my invention are to obviate the waste of fabricinvolved in cutting shoulder strap extensions of abnormal length toprovide usual flaps or anchorges extending over the shoulders andoverlapping. front and back shoulder straps, and to obviate or minimizeraw edges around upper portions of the armholes' of the garment body;This avoidance of raw edges along the upperportions of the armholesmakes my invention particularly applicable to the construction ofsleeveless garments, but also provides a: firm edge for the attachmentof sleeves when sleeved'l garments are made in accordance with myinvention.

My invention involves the retention of. integral fabric sectionswhichare normally excised to form. armholes to provide flaps along portionsof" the armhole edges of the garment body. Such retained sections arefolded. laterally of the garment along the lines of. the arm hole edges-This doubling. back. oi the retained sections provides hem-like forportions of the armholes, and also provides flaps integralwith thegarment body and. each ofwhiohoverlies one of. a complementary pair ofshoulder straps and. is attached to and. anchors the other shoulder.strap of that. pail;

The. upper edges of the shoulder straps form ing. parts ofi the garmentiron-t are preferably seamed. to the upper edges oi the: integral flapslaterally inturrred from. armhole edges oi the garment back and lyingbetween the basic and front at the garment, and the upper edges otthe;shoulder straps forming parts ofxthe garment back. are preferably seamedto: the upper edges of the integral flap-s intumed. laterally from the.edges of the. armholes ot the garment front and overlying. sucha front.

The inner lateral edges oi the respective flaps are unconfined. but thelower portions at least oi the. pair of front flaps preferably arecurved divergently outward, and the lower: portions at least of the pairof back flapsv are also: preterably curved diver-gently outward. Thefree:

edges of the front flaps form continuations of the edge of the neckrecess in the garment back, and the free: edges of the back flaps formcontinuations of the edge of. the neck recess in the garment front. Theneck opening of the garment formed by such recesses: may be expanded tosubstantially the full width of the garment between the tops of. thearmholes by the relative movements of the straps and flaps and downwardstress on the body of the garment tends to restore the flaps and-.shoulder straps to their normal overlapped positions.

The fabric forming the garment may be shaped in any desired manner toform neck recesses, armholes shoulder straps and flaps in accordancewith my invention. In making undergarments, it is generally preferableto use tubular knitted fabric having. longitudinally extending wales.Such fabric, may be cut normally to its side edges into sections equalto the desired lengths of. two garments, and. such double lengths may besevered" diagonally to form a pair of garment blanks each having thefrom; forming section shorter than the back forming section.Eachblankmay have sections excised from the corners formed by theintersection of its normal edge with the side edges to provide front andback neck forming recesses in" the usual manner. H t a In. accordancewith: my invention, each fiattened blank is out longitudinally or.walewise intermediate the neck torming recesses and along lines which ata short distance below the normal or top edge; begin to diverge towardthe side: edges. *Ihelower parts at such diverging. cuts: are:intersected by cuts along lines converging toward thecenter oftheflattened. blank. The diverging,v and preferably convex, cuts and theconverging and preferably concave, outs excise segments from both layersor laps of the flattened. tubular. fabric to form openings therein, butleave integral: flaps projecting toward but severed from one anotherand. extending laterally intothe area lying between the maximum.width-of. such openings and the top edge of. the blank. If desired, theupper portions of such flaps maybe severedzby slits. from the fabricsections designed. to constitute shoulder straps and lying adjacent tothe. neck recesses.-

A blank soshaped by cutting is shifted circumterenti'ally and:refiattened so that the sections forming the original side edge bendsextend longitudinally in the center of the front and back. ofthegarm'ent-blank, and: the: new side nently or detaohably connectedwith the upper edges of shoulder straps as above .described. Theprinciples and characteristics of my invention and the manner andprocess of making, constructing and using my improved garment willfurther appear from the accompanying drawings and the followingexplanation 'of r the best mode in which I have contemplated ap- 20plying such principles. V

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of a childs waist or undershirtembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a back view of thegarment shown inFig.1 with the parts broken away; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a patternforguiding the cutting of a flattened tubular fabric to form a garmentblank in accordance withmy invention; Fig. 4 is a plan view-oftheblankcut according to the pattern of Fig. -3 after the original edgefolds of theblank have been shifted 90 circumferentially of theblank,and the blank refiattened; Fig. -5. is a plan" view of a pattern forguiding the cutting of a sleeve blank from folded fabric; Fig. 6 isaplan view of an unfolded sleeve blank cut accordingto the pattern ofFig. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front view of the upper portion of theblank shownin Fig.4

with the top edges of the front shoulder straps attached to the topedges of-flaps turnedinward along the armhole edges of the back; Fig. 8is a fragmentary somewhat. diagrammatic perspective view illustratingthe joinder of the top edge ofone of thefront shoulder straps to the topedge of a flap turned inwardly from an armhole edge of the back, asshown in'Figr'i; Fig. 9 is a front view of the upper portion of thefront view ,of the garment shown in Fig. 9 witha complementary pairoffolded. sleeve blanks similar to that shown in Fig. 6 positioned forattachment thereto alongthe-fold linesof the inturned flapsand thearmhole edge sections below such flaps. t

Garment bodies embodying my invention are preferably made from-knittedtubular fabric having longitudinally extending wales.

erably approximates the desired width of 1. the finished garment. i

In accordance with my invention, the front and back of a garment bodyare shaped to form neck recesses and armholes with flaps projectinglaterally from edgesthereof, as indicated in Fig. 4. Such shaping may beconveniently effected by The width of the tubular fabric when flattenedpref- 4 superposing flattened tubular strips of fabric andsimultaneously cutting the stacked strips in accordance with a pattern,such as shown in Fig. 3, which is laid longitudinally or walewise along5 the top of the stacked series of flattened tubular fabrics.

' The pattern, and the blanks as cut in accordance therewith from thetubular fabric as initially flattened, preferably has substantiallyparallel 10* side edges l' and 2, a bottom edge 3, which may be of anydesired contour, and a top edge 4, which is substantially normal to theside edges I and 2.

The upper corners of the pattern and of the garment1blank are out onarcuate lines 5 and 6,

which may be of equal or unequal length or contour. Slitsfi and 8 may becut normal to the edge 4 at suitable distances from the innerextremities of the lines 5 and 6 to better define the widthlof shoulderstrap sections which lie between the arm holes and' the planes of theneck recesses of the garment. The pattern and the garment blank are slitlongitudinally by cuts along the line il approximately midway betweenthe slits l and 8. The out along the line 9 is of approximately thelength of theslits l and 8 and below such point the pattern and blankare out along diverging and preferably convexly arcuate lines NJ and H.The lower extremities of the cuts along the lines In and H areintersected by v cuts along downwardly converging and preferablyconcavely arcuate lines l2 and I3 which come together at their lowerextremities. The upper portions of the out along the lines i2 and I3 mayextend slightly beyond the bottom termini of 5 the cuts along the linesIf! and i I and lie approximately in alignment with the cuts along thelines I and'8. The cuts along the lines H), ll, 12 and 13 removesegments from the central portions of both layers of the flattened tubeand leave therein centrally disposed openings having opposite concavelower edges and opposite convex upper edges.

In constructing a garment, the tubular fabric blank is turned 90circumferentially about a longitudinal axis so that the sections formingthe ".1folds along the edges 1 and 2 are positioned medially and extendlongitudinally of the tube when refiattened as shown in'Fig.'4.

The cuts along the line 5 produce a neck'recess 5a inthe front la of thegarment, and the cut's'along the line 6 produce a neck recess 60. in

the back 2a of the garment.

The openings formed in each fabric layer by the cuts along the lines 9,l0, ll, l2, [3 now form armholes in the upper part of the garment and atthe side edges thereof.

'The cuts along the line 12 form concave outer edges l2a of the lowerpartsof the armholes in the front Ia, and the cuts along the line l3form the concave outer edges 13a of the lower parts of the armholes inthe back 2a. The slits along the line 1 form outer edges id for shoulderstrap sections lb of the front of the garment, and the slits along theline 8 form outer edges 8a for the shoulder strap sections 219 of theback of the garment.

The cuts along the lines band It form outer edges Illa of flaps M whichprojectlaterally ofthe front la of the garment beyond an imaginary linejoining the proximate extremities of the edges Ia and I211. The cutsalong the lines 9 and I I form 7 outer edges Ha of flaps f5 whichproject laterally of the back 20. of the arment beyond an imaginary linejoining the proximate extremities of the edges 8a and [3a.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8,- the top edges of the 7 shoulder straps lbare connected, as by abutted or lapped seams, tothe top'edges of; theflaps Hi after the latter have been folded inward between the front laand back 2a=along the imaginary lines connecting the. extremitiesoftheiedges 8a and 13a as shown in Fig. 8., i l a; l

The flaps M are thenfoldedoverthe front la along imaginary linesconnectingthe proximate extremities of the edgesla and 12a, and the topedgesof the inturned. flaps M; are then, seamed to the top edges of theshoulder strapsiib as shown. in FigSpQ andlO. J ,1 5x

'If the garment is to beused as a sleeveless garment, such for instanceas. an under-vestor infants-band, the edges of-the neck, armholes: andbottom may be finished in any suitable manner, as, for instance, byoverstitching. The portion of the edge of the armhole formed by thefolds of the flaps M and i 5 maybe finished by overstitching or leftwithout overstitching since the doubling back of the flaps gives theeffect of a hemmed margin, which does not ravel and which is amplystrong to withstand the stresses imparted thereto by the movements ofthe wearer.

3 The flaps Hi and I5 are not attached along their edges Illa and Ila,to the back and front of the garment, and the edges lila form in effectcontinuations of the edge of neck recess 6a, and the edges I la form ineffect continuations of the edge of the neck recess 5a. Consequently theneck opening can be stretched open practically the full width of thegarment to facilitate the movement of the garment over the head of thewearer. When positioned on a wearer, the weight of the garment, or thestress of other garments attached thereto, tends to draw the flaps intothe positions shown in Figs. 9 and 11 and the shoulder straps lb and 21)into juxtaposition to the base of the neck of the wearer, particularlyat or adjacent to the seams extending transversely to the garment bywhich the shoulder straps are secured to the flaps.

When it is desired to provide a garment made in accordance with myinvention with sleeves, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a sleeve pattern [6,shown in Fig. 5, is laid over folded fabric and the latter is out toproduce complementary pairs of sleeve blanks [6a, one of which is shownin Fig. 6. The blanks lfia so formed then have their edge I! seamed tothe body along the folded edges of the flaps I4 and I5, their edges 98seamed to the respective edges lid and iBa, and their edges l9 seamed toone another to produce the garment shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The wales ofthe sleeves extend transversely to the wales of the flaps. Each edge 20of the blanks 5a may be finished in any desired manner, such as byoverstitohing, to form a cuff.

It will be noted that the folding of the front flaps over the front labrings into view a surface of the fabric opposite to that shown in theadjacent body portions of the garment, and, if desired, the exposedsurfaces of the flaps may be made to contrast to the remainder of thegarment to any desired degree or may be made to conform therewith.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A body garment having front and back sections and containing anarmhole, one of said sections having an integral flap folded along anedge of said armhole and overlapping said section, said flap having anedge transverse to its fold line and connected with the other of saidsections along an edge thereof extending transversely of the garmentadjacent to the shoulder thereof, said flapabeingfree, inwardlnirom. itsfolci line. from the section. over which it is overlapped. I

2., Av body garment having from; and back sections and, containing; anarmholafone of said sections having an integral flap folded along anedge ofi said armhole and; having a: free edge over-- lapping saidsectionsaid flap being: free, inwardly from its fold line, fromthesection over which it is overlapped, theotherof said sections andsaid flap having complementary edges: of; approximately equal widths,connected together along a line extending, transversely of the garmentand adjacentto the shoulder thereof. l

3. A body garment having. front and backsec tions and containingarmhole, each of said. sectionshaving integral flaps: folded; alongopposite edges of said armhole, eachflapoverlapping the section,integral therewith. thefiap in.

tegral with the front section having "amedge transverse to its fold lineconnected with the. back section only along ani edge.thereon. extending:

transversely of the ,galmentfsadjacent to "the:

shoulder thereof, andthe flapintegralwithxthe back section having anedge transverse to its fold. line and connectedwi-ththe: front. sectiononly along an edge thereof extendingitransversely of the garmentadjacent to the shoulder thereof.

4. A body garment having front and back sections and containingarmholes, said sections each having a pair of flaps integral therewithand folded along edges of the respective armholes, each flap overlappingthe section integral therewith, the flaps integral with the frontsection having edges transverse to their fold lines and connected withedges of the back section along lines extending transversely of thegarment and adjacent to the shoulder lines thereof, and the flapsintegral with the back section having edges transverse to their foldlines and connected with edges of the front section along linesextending transversely of the garment adjacent to the shoulder linesthereof, said flaps being free relatively to the sections they overlapexcepting along their fold lines.

5. A body garment having front and back sections and containingarmholes, said sections each having integral flaps folded in overlappingrelation to the respective sections, the fold lines of said flapsdelimiting the upper portions of edges of said armholes, each of saidflaps having an edge extending transversely to its fold line and saidfront and back sections each having edges extending transversely of thegarment and connected with said edges of the flaps integral with theother section.

6. A body garment having front and back sections and containing anarmhole, and a sleeve, said sections each having an integral flap foldedalong an edge of said armhole and connected with one another, said flapfolded from the front section being connected with the shoulder portionof the back section only and the flap folded from the back section beingconnected with the shoulder portion of the front section only, and saidsleeve being seamed to said garment along the fold lines between saidflaps and sections.

7. A blank for a body garment comprising a flattened tubular body havingrecesses along its edges, said body having armhole forming flapsprojecting laterally from the edges of said body between said recessesand an end of the blank and adapted to be folded over said body alonglines forming continuations of edges of said recesses to form armholes.

8. In a method of forming a garment blank by cutting a strlp'bfflattened tubular fabric having" side edges and. an end edgesubstantiallynormal' to said edges, the step which comprises formingarmholes by cuttingthe fabric intermediate its side edgesalong lineswhich diverge downwardly and outwardly from apoint adjacent to said endedge toward said side edges and along lines which converge downwardlyand inwardly from said lines first named, said cuts formingfiapsbordering the armholes and an armhole opening between and at theends ofsuch flaps.

9. In a method of forming a garment blank by cutting a strip of fabrichaving longitudinal edges, the step which comprises cutting the fabricintermediate its longitudinal edges along lines which divergelongitudinally toward such edges and along lines which. convergelongitudinally and inwardly away from said edges, said cuts formingflaps and an opening between and at the ends of such flaps, said flapstogether having a maximum width substantially equal to the maximum widthof said opening. w

10. In a method of forming a garment, the steps which include forming ablank having a front and a back each provided with a shoulder strap andan integral flap projecting laterally from an edge of its shoulderstrap, attaching the top edge of the front shoulder strap to the topedge of the back flap Tq'nly, and attaching the top edge of the backshoulder strap to the top edge of the front flap only.

11. In a method of forming a garment, the steps which include forming ablank having a front and a back each provided with a shoulder strap andan integral flap extending laterally from an edge of its shoulder strap,turning the back flap inwardly between the front and the back andsecuring its top edge to the front shoulder strap and folding the frontflap over the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,969,349 Bergh Aug. 7, 1934Merkent Nov. 16, 1943

